The story began as a five-week holiday in 2007 for Mary and Sally. Seeing the great need for help they began doing volunteer work. Through the people they met, they were unexpectedly offered the opportunity to build the first school.

It was the beginning of a passion and a long term commitment by them and many family and friends to help empower the villagers through education and health improvement.

Mary worked teaching English to landmine victim children at The Landmine Museum started by Akira.

She got to know Akira, who is an ex-child soldier and currently a landmine clearer. With his wife Hourt they had set up an orphanage for 25 landmine victim children at the Museum.

Mary learnt that in the course of Akira's landmine clearing work, in the very remote areas, he would discover villages with lots of children but with no educational facilities provided by the government.

Akira asked if we would be able to provide the funds to build a school at one of these villages where he had received that request from the village chief.

Mary, her husband Eugene, Sally and many other family and friends provided the money for a timber classroom.

Every year has brought new projects and challenges. The development has been an organic and step-by-step process. The projects are driven by the requests of the community. Everyone, including the villagers, is learning about community development. A large amount of helpful advice and encouragement has been given by Deborah Groves who is involved with Cambodian communities near Siem Reap.